We Are No Longer Condemned

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after The Spirit." Romans 8:1

Because justification is by faith alone on the basis of God's grace, no sin that a believer commit can be held against him. The penalty for the believer's sins was paid by Christ and righteousness was imputed to the believer.

This does not mean that believers loose their sinful nature and will not sin. It means that believers are no longer slaves to sin. Those who are in The Spirit are led by The Spirit and choose to yield to The Spirit.

Order My Steps In Your Word

"The steps of a good man are ordered by The Lord; and he delighted in His way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for The Lord upholdeth him with His hand." Psalms 37:23-24

The words of the song, "Order my steps" are like a prayer request, a prayer we could all pray.
The following is not the whole song, just a few of the key verses:

"Order my steps in Your word dear Lord; Lead me, guide me, every day ...
Humbly I ask Thee, teach me Your will; While You are working, help me be still ...
Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in Thy sight;
Take charge of my thoughts, both day and night ...
I want to walk worthy, my calling to fulfill;
Please order my steps, Lord, and I'll do Your blessed will ...
Show me how to walk, in Your word; Show me how to talk, in Your word ...
Order my steps in Your word ...
Please order my steps in Your word.

Prayer Is Powerful

"... The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:13-16

Prayer is a powerful thing. Prayer changes things. We are only as powerful as our prayers. "Little prayer, little power; much prayer, much power; no prayer, no power." (Unknown)

Prayer that is full of intensity and feeling produces results. Prayer is basically talking to God. It should not be the exact same words every time we pray. "But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathens do ..." Matthew 6:7

As we grow in age, knowledge, and holiness, our prayers should also change. There are several model prayers which should serve as guidelines: the "now I lay me down to sleep..." children's prayer; the Lord's prayer from Matthew 6:9-13; and "ACTS", which stands for Acknowledgment, Confession, Thanksgiving, & Supplication.

Don't just say a prayer, pray a prayer. Pray daily and fervently, with meaning and feeling.

Be Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

The Apostle Paul said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth ..." Romans 1:16

After his conversion, Paul had a lot of bad things to happen to him, but he remained ready to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew that God's word was powerful.

The gospel is powerful and effective because it brings with it the omnipotence of God. Only God's power can overcome man's sinful nature and give him a new life. It can deliver man from his lost state, from willful sinful ignorance, from evil self-indulgence, from the wrath of God, and from eternal separation from God, punishment and damnation.

Spread the word of God. Don't be ashamed to tell people about Jesus Christ and the gospel. Jesus said, "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 10:33

Where's The Fruit?

You joined the Church during childhood and you have been a Christian for years. Where is the fruit of your Christian walk? What are the results of all of your years of serving The Lord?

"Ye shall know them by their fruit ... good tree bringeth forth good fruit ... By their fruits shall ye know them ..." Matthew 7:16-20

What have you done for The Lord? Have you led some lost soul to Christ? How many suffering saints have you helped? What have you done to give God glory?

These are questions that every Christian should ask themselves every day? We are not supposed to rest on our laurels because of what we did yesterday, last week, last month, last year, or whenever it was in the past. This a daily battle that we are engaged in and we need to be about The Lord's work on a daily basis.

So what have you done for Him lately? Where's the fruit of your Christian walk?

When Your Faith Faces Giants

Walking this Christian walk and fighting these daily battles with the enemy, occasionally we all face situations in life that seem to be overwhelming. Dr. Julius Scruggs, President of the National Baptist Convention, USA Inc., preached a sermon recently which offered some pointers on what to do 'when your faith faces giants.'

Don't develop "giant phobia", do as David when he faced Goliath. (Read 1 Samuel 17:2-51) Remember that God was with you, strengthened you, and made you victorious in your previous battles with the lion and the bear. (17:34-36) Don't pretend to be someone else, use what God has given you to work for His glory. (17:38-40) Stay in The Word and do what you do in the name of The Lord. (17:45-46)

The battle is not ours, God will give us the victory, if we give Him the glory.

Let Him Lift You Up

"Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He shall lift you up." James 4:10

All too often we brag and boast about ourselves, even to the point of exaggeration. Some of us will even go as far as to tear down our fellow man in order to make us look good in comparison.

However, none of that is necessary, God knows all that we do. It is Him that we should be trying to please and not trying to impress mankind.

As long people exalt themselves, God will not exalt them. We cannot lift ourselves up very high anyway. We only consider ourselves great in our own minds.

Remember that in the presence of God, we are all insignificant so be humble.